Engineering Association, CEA Form Partnership

ARLINGTON, VA.—SAE International and the Consumer Electronics Association
have signed a two-year agreement to build a partnership for the
cooperation of the standardization of vehicle electronics and consumer
electronics products to improve the driving experience. Both
organizations will share information on existing and future voluntary
standards development in the overlapping areas between consumer
electronics and ground vehicles.

SAE International is an association comprised of engineers and other
technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial vehicle
industries.

Jack Pokrzywa, manager of Global Ground Vehicle Standards at SAE International, called the agreement an important step.

“The integration of consumer electronics products into the vehicle
continues to advance,” said Dave Wilson, vice president of Technology
& Standards at CEA. “From navigation devices to rear-seat
entertainment systems to aftermarket products that let consumers equip
older vehicles with the latest technology, consumer electronics continue
to play a big role in the driving experience.”

When asked by Radio World whether in-car radio tuners could be
affected by the agreement, a spokeswoman for CEA said it’s possible,
but it’s likely that initial discussions will focus on connectivity
between CE devices that are brought into the car, like MP3 players and
iPods, for example, and in-vehicle systems.